He couldn't do it. He couldn't bring himself to do it. He might have been able to dredge up the will - the desire - to do it, but where would that leave him?
If you asked his eldest cousin, he would have finally earned his place amongst their ranks. It had been an easy decision for her, bringing her equal amounts of glory and fear from others.
Barty had told him how good it would feel - to have that much control; the power to end someone's life so quickly and easily. That the more you cast the spell, the easier it was to form on your lips until the very word became a comfort.
And his brother… His brother already hated him, but he would despise him if he knew that he was genuinely considering this. He would tell Regulus that he should be willing to die before he would do this to another person. To an innocent person.
The words spilled from his lips, forcefully and full of hatred. A flash of green illuminated the room, gone in an instant.
He was none of the things his family or friends expected to be. He wanted none of the things they felt he should. He didn't want glory or to be feared; he didn't want control or power; he didn't even particularly want to be accepted - not any more. But, most of all, he didn't want to die.